How KEEN Cut Tech Costs by 80% and Scaled Globally with Shopify

Introduction

KEEN has a long history of merging comfort and adventure in durable outdoor footwear. But sprawling legacy systems had put the brand far off track. They faced technology silos, slow retail interfaces, and costly third-party work that ate months of development time. With ambitions to grow from a handful of stores to dozens more in new markets, they needed a streamlined commerce platform that could keep pace.

Background

Founded in 2003 and based in Portland, Oregon, KEEN built a reputation for reliable, sustainable shoes. The executive team relied on a jumble of systems like Salesforce Commerce Cloud online and Micros POS in-store. Each solution delivered specific capabilities but created more headaches in operations, frustration among store teams, and spiraling costs on custom integrations and agency fees. With a mission to keep the product front and center, the brand’s leadership decided it was time to get back to their core strengths.

Challenges

Digitally, KEEN’s commerce experience was brittle. Inventory couldn’t be shared across channels, customers had to wait for refunds or exchanges, and team silos slowed every update. Retail staff juggled separate machines for returns and sales. The point-of-sale interface was slow and confusing, leaving associates struggling and customers irritated. International growth only magnified these issues as each market used its own catalog and content strategy managed in isolation.

Shopify Implementation

The move to Shopify came in stages, starting with the online store. KEEN built four expansion stores on Shopify Plus across North America, Europe, and Asia. They tailored each storefront’s language, pricing, and product mix while controlling everything from one admin panel. Instead of bonding engineers to custom code, they turned to third-party apps for email, loyalty, reviews, and more. Loop Returns handled exchanges and refunds seamlessly; buyers now complete returns in minutes, not days.

Once ecommerce was stable, the team swapped Micros for Shopify POS. Associates now use mobile devices with a modern UI that ties global inventory, customer profiles, and checkout into one screen. Staff can lookup a shopper, make personalized suggestions, or ship items direct from nearby warehouses when a size isn’t in-store. The training curve nearly vanished; pop-up teams sold over a thousand pairs of shoes in five hours at a local festival after just minutes of instruction.

Staff Experience

Using Shopify POS has changed daily life for store teams. Associates no longer struggle with multiple devices to close a sale or handle returns. They have one consistent workflow whether they’re in Portland or Tokyo. Managers can track individual performance and coach staff with data on sales, returns, and average transaction value. Positive feedback rolled in from every store, boosting morale and letting experts focus on customers instead of hunting system bugs.

International Rollouts

Expanding in global markets is no longer a guessing game. Each new store uses the same Shopify theme and payment setup with local adjustments for language and tax. The team launched seven new countries in six months, and they’ve got templates ready for 15 more. Building each site takes days instead of months because the blueprint is tested and approved. This repeatable model drives consistency in branding and eliminates costly rewrite cycles.

Results

By unifying commerce on Shopify, KEEN cut their total cost of ownership by around 80%. Projects that once took half a year now wrap in a single week. Store launches moved from months of prep to under 30 days. The brand kicked off seven new international operations and plans another 15 soon. With one platform driving both online and offline channels, cross-channel orders surged, fueling higher lifetime value among repeat customers.

Looking Ahead

KEEN is gearing up to roll out 25 to 40 stores over the next few years using a standardized “store in a box” approach powered by their Shopify theme. The team will keep refining real-time reporting and customer profiles. With a modern commerce stack, they have room to innovate on sustainability and customer service while avoiding the pitfalls of complex tech. The stage is set for the next chapter in KEEN’s growth.